Energy 101 Fall 2015 Biomass Energy Conversion, NH3 (ammonia as a fuel)

1. Chemicals and Fuels
from Biomass
Norm Olson P.E.
Biomass Energy Conversion (BECON) Facility
Iowaenergycenter.org

2. The Iowa Energy Center’s Mission
• Broad Scope
– complex connections to
many issues
– focusing on Iowa
– energy efficiency
– renewable energy
– education
• all groups
• all ages
• all sectors of the economy

3. Demonstration/Training/Research
Facilities
BECON (Biomass Energy CONversion)
 renewable energy/ biomass
to fuels and chemicals
• demonstration and research
• tours
• meeting/class space

4. Outreach
•Nearly 14,000 people have either toured
BECON or heard the BECON presentation
since 1999
•BECON has had visitors from most states and
over 76 foreign countries
•Numerous state and Federal legislators,
Presidential candidates and former U.S.
President George Bush have visited BECON

5. EIA Outlook
U.S. 2012 Production – 8.9 million barrels per day Source: BP SR

6. British Petroleum R/P Ratio
Proved reserves of oil – Generally taken to be those quantities that geological and
engineering information indicates with reasonable certainty can be recovered in the
future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions.
U.S. R/P Ratio China R/P Ratio
2012 2013 2012 2013
Oil 10.8 10.7 9.9 11.4
Natural Gas 13.0 12.5 29.8 28.9
Coal 239 257 33.0 31.0
Reserves-to-production (R/P) ratio – If the reserves remaining at the end of any
year are divided by the production in that year, the result is the length of time that
those remaining reserves would last if production were to continue at that rate.
Source: BP statistical Review of World Energy, June 2012, 2013

7. The Ideal Alternative Fuel
• Can be produced from any raw energy source (i.e. wind, solar,
biomass, coal, nuclear, hydro etc.)
• Is cost effective
• Has significant storage and delivery systems already in place
• Is environmentally friendly
• Can be used in any prime mover (i.e. diesel engines, fuel cells,
SI engines, gas turbines, etc.)
• Has a proven, acceptable safety record
• Produced in the U.S.

8. Ammonia Basics 1
• Ammonia (NH3) can be produced from any raw energy
source, including all fossil, renewable and nuclear sources.
• Ammonia is cost competitive with gasoline as a transportation
fuel
• Ammonia has extensive, worldwide transportation and
storage infrastructure already in place
• Ammonia is very environmentally friendly when used as a
transportation fuel and produces only N2 and H20 at the
tailpipe with low-cost emissions controls.
• Ammonia has been successfully demonstrated in SI engines,
CI engines, and fuel cells.

9. Conversion Systems
Biomass Conversion Systems
Feedstock Processing
Thermochemical ConversionBiological Conversion

10. Anaerobic Digestion/Composting
Feedstock
Processing
High Solids Unit
(Composting)
Low Solids Unit
Scrubber
Methane to
Engine
Generator

11. Distillation
Ethanol
Residue
Saleable
By-product
Drying/Vapor
Recovery
Multi-farm
Storage &
Fermentation
Harvest,
acidification, &
inoculation
High-sugar
energy crop
Local Processing Center
Alcohol Production II
C6H1206
yeast
enzymes
2C2H50H + 2CO2

12. Gasification
Feedstock
Processing To Engine Generator
To Ash Disposal
Gasifier
Scrubber
Syn-gas

13. Pyrolysis
Feedstock
Processing
Waste Disposal
Pyrolysis Refining
Syn-oil
Bio-Chemicals

14. Biodiesel Production
Chemical Reactor
Vegetable Oils
Alcohol
Glycerin
Biodiesel
Vegetable Oils + Alcohol Biodiesel + Glycerin
catalyst

15. Supercritical Fluids
High Pressure Reactor
Biomass
High Pressure Fluid
Product

16. Combined Systems
Greenhouse
Anaerobic
Digestion Unit
Fermentation
Unit
Fuel Cell
Unit
Electricity
Heat
CO2
Dairy Facility

17. Iowa Bio-Refinery

18. Bio-Refinery Model

19. MGP - Lakota

20. The Ideal Biomass System
• Soil tilth improved – no erosion loss, increased soil organic carbon
content
• Nutrients and micronutrients returned to soil
• Fertilizer made from plant residue in same field
• Use of currently available planting, harvesting storage techniques
• No fossil fuel use
• Cost effective
• Local economic development
• Biorefinery concept – multiple products (food, chemicals, fuel
additives) energy efficient, low air/water emissions, low water use

21. Ideal Annual Crop System – Silage Harvest

22. Ideal Annual Crop System – Silage Storage

23. Wisconsin
Ideal Annual Crop System – Cover Crop
www.leopold.iastate.edu/.../cover.htm

24. Local Processing – All nutrients (PKN,
micronutrients) returned to soil. Closed loop.
Ideal Annual Crop System – Processing

25. Biomass Feedstocks
• Agricultural Residues
• Food Processing Waste
• Livestock Production Waste
• Municipal Solid Waste
• Obsolete Seed Corn
• Wood Waste

26. Feedstock Costs
• Cost of corn stover ~ 3 cents/lb. ($60/ton)
Corn @ $3.50/bushel ~7 cents/lb
• Consists mainly of C, H and O
• Cost of petroleum ~
8 cents/lb ($25/barrel)
16 cents/lb ($50/barrel)
24 cents/lb ($75/barrel)
32 cents/lb ($100/barrel)
40 cents/lb ($125/barrel)
48 cents/lb ($150/barrel)
• Consists mainly of C and H
• Organic chemicals are mainly C, H

27. A Little History
• Oil came in at $1.50/barrel in the mid-1940’s
($0.0045/pound)
• Corn was approximately $1.50/bushel in 1950
(approx. $0.03/pound)

28. Forward to the Past
• Prior to the 1940’s most chemicals were plant
derived
• Celluloid, Cellophane, Bakelite, rayon, paints,
adhesives
• Henry Ford Vegetable Mobile
• Fermentations to ethanol, butanol, propanol and
other alcohols was common prior to the 1940’s.

29. Getting There from Here
• Corn stalks - C,H,O
• Sugars - C,H,O
• Ethanol - C2H6O
• Ethylene - C2H4
• Ethylene Dichloride - C2H4Cl2
• Vinyl Chloride - C2H3Cl
• PVC

30. • Corn stalks - C,H,O
• Sugars
• Propanol
• Propylene
• Acrylonitrile
• Polyacrylonitrile
• Carbon Fiber
Getting There from Here

31. Some Big-time Players
• Dow/Cargill – polylactic acid – Blair, NE
• Dupont/Pioneer
• Monsanto/Dekalb
• Shell

32. Rural Economic Potential
1999 2004
Iowa Ag. and Food Exports $3.5 Billion $4.7 Billion
24 MT Stover @ $0.03/lb. $1.4 Billion
Iowa Gross State Product $86 Billion $111 Billion
24 MT Stover @ $2.50/lb. $120 Billion

33. Breakfast Cereal $1-$3/Pound

34. Clothing - $10-$100’s/Pound

35. Plastic Tanks - $2.00/pound

36. RMI Hypercar $5-$10/ pound
Auto-making and associated businesses employ
one-seventh of U.S. workers (approaching two-
fifths in some European countries) and represent
one-tenth of America's consumer spending.

37. Henry Ford’s Soybean Plastic

38. Selected BECON Commercialization
and Educational Highlights
• National Biodiesel Training Center – Jon Van Gerpen – USDA Grant
• Frontline – Thermal Gasification – Commercial installation of thermal gasifier at
Chippewa Valley Ethanol in Benson, Minnesota. BECON thermal gasifier developed
under an IEC grant to Robert Brown.
• Cellencor – microwave drying – numerous commercial installations. Outgrew BECON
and moved/expanded into the Ankeny, Iowa Industrial Park.
• Albemarle/Catilin – heterogeneous catalyst licensed from ISU (Victor Linn). Multi-
year process development currently (2013) in process using BECON’s pre-commercial
biodiesel production unit.
• Conoco Phillips and Avello – pyrolysis – license obtained based on Robert Brown’s
IEC-funded pyrolysis work at BECON.
• Drying Solutions – energy efficient steam heat recovery dryer – several commercial
installations.
• Myco Max – fungal thin stillage treatment - Hans Van Leeuwen. R&D 100 Awards.
Innovator of the Year. “Graduated” to Lincolnway Energy

39. Key Benefits
• Developing systems to economically produce chemicals and
fuels from biomass will spur rural economic development.
• Adding value to agricultural products will enhance the
profitability of many Iowa industries.
• Demonstrating full-scale biomass conversion systems
promotes increased adoption of these technologies.
• Developing new products and technologies with export
potential will strengthen Iowa’s economy (consulting).
• Producing and using biochemicals is more environmentally
sound than producing and using petrochemicals.
• Combining biomass research, demonstration, education and
training at one facility helps focus this work and enhances
exposure.

40. What’s it Going to Take?
• Pre-Commercial Demonstration
• Research and Development
• Pioneer Spirit
• Fortitude
• Foresight
• Wisdom
• Integrated Systems
• Political Support

41. Agriculture Looks Good